At the outset, I would like to associate the views of my delegation with the content of the letter sent yesterday by the President of the NAM related to the agenda item of today’s debate. In this regard I wish to reiterate that we are of the belief that the Security Council must stay within its mandate as articulated in Article 24 of the Charter and do delve into discussions that primarily fall within the functions and competence of the General Assembly and other relevant organs of the United Nations.

Having said that allow me, Madame President, to present our views regarding the issue of the threats to international peace and security and its relation with securing borders against illicit cross –border trafficking and movement. This item and the issues related to this topic is one of the most daunting challenges that the international community faces today. Loose border controls pose major risks to socio-economic and security situation of all of our nations. The pervasive nature of transnational crimes including drug trafficking, terrorism, traffic in human person and illicit trade in arms and other forms of transnational crimes have made it such an international problem that can only be curbed through collective and concerted efforts based on the principle of shared responsibility.

In the bulk of the Council’s deliberations on border-related issues as manifested in a number of resolutions and presidential statements adopted over the last couple of years, there are references to the issue of drug trafficking which specifically focused on the connection between drug production and security, terrorism and organized crime. In these decisions, the Council recognised the need for the international community to come up with an integrated and balanced approach and to treat addressing these problems based on a shared responsibility principle.

Madame President,

The Islamic Republic of Iran, because of its location in a region of tensions and conflicts which is also considered as a meeting point of illegal activities such as illicit trade in small arms, organized crimes, terrorism and drug trafficking, has incurred lots of damages arising from these activities. However, Iran has spared no effort to combat such illegal activities, including preventing and combating the illicit trade in small arms and traffic in human person and made significant progress in this regard. The fact that Iran has lost more than 4000 of its law enforcement personnel in this fight is indicative enough of the extend of the efforts undertaken and losses sustained in combating the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs, terrorism, trade in small arms and light weapons and problems associated with such illicit traffics.

On the issue of narcotic drugs control, the Islamic Republic of Iran, over the years, has kept more than tens of thousands of its troop from military and disciplinary forces mobilized all along its long border areas and allocated billions of dollars in the fight against narcotic drugs. Iran has also strived to reinforce and re-manage the fortifications, facilities and intelligent control systems in transit and border check-points in order to prevent the entry of trafficking caravans into the country. All these measures have resulted in confiscation of massive volumes of various types of narcotics which set a record in the worlds’ opium and heroin seizures. In the field of regional cooperation, Iran has collaborated with its neighboring as well as ECO members, and contributed to establishing and strengthening of the capacity of its drug combating unit. Despite all the national and regional efforts it is unfortunate that there is no reduction, let alone an end, to the flow of drugs into my country and through Iran to other neighboring countries, region and beyond. This indicates that drug trafficking recognizes no borders and regions.

Furthermore, drug trafficking in some regions undermines efforts to attain stability, prosperity and peace because narcotic drugs are a source of financing for terrorism and threatens the regional stability and security. In our region we are facing such phenomena for many years. We are witnessing its devastating effects on the social and overall health and wholesome of our society. We have shouldered a great burden largely to deal with this threat. Given the fact that this menace serves as a feeding ground for terrorism, Iran’s efforts in this regard have undoubtedly made a fundamental contribution to the global fight against terrorism, as well.

Madam President,

On the issue of small arms and light weapons, we are of the belief that states bear the primary responsibility for preventing and combating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all of its aspects, including identifying and solving the problems associated with such illicit trade. Taking this into account we have developed comprehensive set of laws, regulations, guidelines and directives in force in the Islamic Republic of Iran which enable relevant national authorities and agencies to prevent and combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and the problems associated with it. Based on the existing regulations, illicit manufacturing, possession, storage and trade in small arms are considered as offence and all individuals involved in such activities shall be arrested and punished accordingly.

Likewise, Iran has established bilateral and trilateral arrangements with some neighboring countries in order to cooperate in the effective prevention, combating and eradication of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and the problems associated with it. In this regard, we paid a special attention to addressing the root causes of illicit trade in small arms and its interrelatedness with terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking.

Madame President,

Trafficking in persons, especially women and children, is one of the most serious manifestation of the transnational organized crime. It is an affront to human dignity and a modern form of slavery. Sexual exploitation, including child pornography and prostitution, has continued to be a major motivation for human trafficking. Trafficking in human organs is another cruel and inhumane element of trafficking in persons which needs to be addressed seriously. An active cooperation at the global level should be developed in order to efficiently target demand side of the problem.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a transit country, has also taken serious steps in implementing several projects on enhancing border control, in order to better fight transitional organized crime including human trafficking. My country has also taken steps in capacity building of the Iranian Judiciary for implementing the laws in combating trafficking in persons, and strengthening cooperation mechanisms between the relevant organs of the Islamic Republic of Iran with other countries. I would like to emphasize, here, the need for a review of the regional and international policies and programs in order to overcome short falls and effectively counter with such a global problems as illicit cross–border trafficking and movement. The Islamic Republic of Iran, once more, expresses its strong determination to combat against these global problems, and announces its readiness to cooperate with other partners to resolve decisively such problems.

Finally, Madame President, a member of this Council referred to my country in her statement. Furthermore, the Representative of the Israeli regime in line with its regime’s war mongering and propaganda campaign against my country, once again, used this august body to level baseless allegations against Iran. This criminal regime referred to arms smuggling from Iran while this regime with its brutal and killing apparatus has embarked on many criminal acts including State terrorism, the vivid example of which is the assassination of Iran’s nuclear scientists. The Israeli regime baseless allegations against peaceful nature of our nuclear activities, is another attempt by this regime to divert the attentions of the world’s public opinion from its clandestine development and unlawful possession of hundreds of nuclear warheads and nuclear weapons arsenal and other weapons of mass destructions which threaten the region as a whole and goes against the international peace and security. Therefore, I do not deem it necessary to answer to these absurd allegations.